** TWO ARRESTED AFTER COVERT OPERATION **
On October 18, 2024, the Marion Police Department was informed of a victim of an email fishing scheme. The victim had lost over one-hundred-thousand dollars at the time the police department was notified.
The victim had received an email that appeared to be a receipt from PayPal for the purchase of McAfee+ antivirus services. At the bottom of this forged receipt there was a telephone number attached to call if the recipient was n...ot the actual purchaser. The victim called the number that was listed and provided their personal information to “verify” that they were not the actual purchaser. A short time later the victim received a phone call from a male saying that he was a Sergeant with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the victim was under investigation.
The victim was then told that they would lose all their personal funds in the investigation if they did not provide cash to the FTC for safe keeping in a Federal lock box. The victim was then directed on how to make withdraws from their bank accounts and how to package the cash for pickup. Suspects then arrived at the victim’s house to retrieve the cash in person. This happened on multiple occasions.
On October 24, 2024 the Marion Police Department conducted an operation to have the suspects return back to the residence for another payment. Two foreign nationals from China were later arrested after arriving at the victim’s residence and picking up an additional package believed to contain $50,000 cash. These individuals are currently charged with Theft by Deception and Wire Fraud.
It is important to know that you will not receive a telephone call or email asking you to liquidate your bank accounts to cash as part of an investigation by any actual law enforcement agency. You will also not receive threats of arrest if payments are not made.
If you receive an email from an unknown sender, please do not respond or call the numbers listed. If you have an account with the company, call the number listed on your credit cards or on the company’s actual website. Call your local Police Department with any questions and please do not give out any personal information or bank account information.
If you or anyone you know are victims of this type of crime, please notify the Marion Police Department or your local Police Department.
This case is still under investigation by the Marion Police Department, US Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the US Attorneys Office.